Build Thread Key Postings Index Experiment.

[TestDrive]

Key Postings in this thread.

• Suggestion to keep an Index of Key Postings to a Thread at the very beginning of a thread.
  (This list item could be turned into a link to this very post, but that might be confusing?)
• Example of a Key Postings Index for basjoos' Aerocivic - how to drop your Cd from 0.34 to 0.17 thread

This is not a suggestion that Indexes be added to existing build threads. (Not discouraging it, but in no way expecting or asking for it.)
It is a suggest that we encourage (NOT REQUIRE) new build threads to keep an index of key posts - maintained by the OP by editing the very first post in the thread.

[TestDrive]

This is just an example. If basjoos had done this index, he'd quite possibly not have included many of the posts (considered them as less than key importance.) Which post in a build thread are worthy of being indexed should be up to the originator of the build thread. The idea here is that build threads can get awfully long and messy and an index would help new arrivals better skim over some of the lint they tend to accumulate.

It's a job adding an index to an existing multi-page thread. Wouldn't even want to think about how long it would take to read through all 990 posts in Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread; pick out and link to all of the significant/important/key ones. But I don't believe it would be that much of a chore to do it as you go along rather than going back and re-reading.

Not trying to push this on anyone. Just putting it out there as something you might want to do if you start a build thread.

Key Postings: Aerocivic - how to drop your Cd from 0.34 to 0.17

• Introduction and pictures of mods completed as of 12-12-2007.
  (Three consecutive posts)
• Hours so far and materials cost.
• Rear Glazing Q&A 1.
• Rear Glazing Q&A 2.
• Secondary Windshield - benefits, op problems & delete, series connect headlights Q&A.
  (Blank lines like next one a kludged by using three periods (...) color same as background.)
  ...
  ...
  
• Fairing behind muffler, hand throttle Q&A.
• Honda CX / VX differences Q&A.
• Intake air & tightly cowled engine compartment Q&A..
• Cd reduction improves any car Q&A.
• Installed a mini boattail behind each rear wheel. (Pics)
  ...
  ...
  
• Front & rear wheel air flow Q&A.
• Front wheel wells engine compartment venting Q&A.
• Pondering side skirt design.
• Thank you Stan for
• side skirt analysis.
  ...
  ...
  
• No engine mods so far Q&A.
• Effectiveness of various mods, overriding the hand throttle, rear wheel boattail design Q&A.
• Purpose of hand throttle, design of side skirts Q&A.
• Top down views of Aerocivic 1.
• Top down view of Aerocivic 2.
  ...
  ...
  
• Tuft testing, car stays cleaner Q&A.
• Better accelerating due to aeromods with stock engine (replaced @ 245K) & stock transmission Q&A.
• Automated intake door design criteria Q&A.
• Thickness of boundary layer indicated by dust Q&A.
• Fits standard parking space, design of boat tail, no overheating problems Q&A. (Pic. of intake slot.)
  ...
  ...
  
• Wheel skirts remove for trip to service center for major service. 3-4 mpg drop.
• Aerocivic is a daily driver. Most mods complete over a weekend. Q&A.
• Belly pan materials and design criteria Q&A.
• Pictures of car as of 11-25-2008.
• Wayne Gerdes got 93.8 mpg driving Aerocivic.
  ...
  ...
  
• Description of route Wayne Gerdes drove while getting 93.8 mpg.
• New boattail's smoother transition at hatch hinge Q&A.
• Entire right side of the boat tail is still original Q&A.
• Nose piece design no smashed bugs or deer Q&A.
• Deer was propelled straight up Q&A.
  ...
  ...
  
• LED tail lights picture.
• Deer whistle mounting points, coroplast construction of side skirts Q&A.
• Hit deer at 45 mph Q&A.
• 270,000 on current engine and starting to use oil Q&A.
• Nose piece construction details Q&A.
  ...
  ...
  
• Rear hatch construction details, size & sex of deer that was hit Q&A.
• How hatch is held shut Q&A.
• Small tool set required for aluminum bar and sheet metal construction.
• Hood up views of engine compartment.

[TestDrive]

Think I'm done with the first two posts.
Feel free to tell me what a goofy idea this is.

[MetroMPG]

It's not a goofy idea. It's a big reason why I'm not a fan of long project / build threads. Good info gets buried.

I went back and added a chronological index (summary, really) to post one of the ForkenSwift thread, but it took a fair amount of time. That said, it also made the thread vastly more useful to me - I've gone to the index many, many times to look up specific things.

Indexing all long threads would be amazing, but I bet most people don't see it as worth the trouble.

[TestDrive]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Indexing all long threads would be amazing, but I bet most people don't see it as worth the trouble.

I live in a town of ~700, 1/2 block to post office, 1 block to grocery store and court house. Closest larger town (~3,300) is a little over 20 miles away. Over 80 miles to the big town (~30,000) where I do serious shopping. Electrics are barely on my radar.

Knowing that your thread has an index moves it from near the bottom of my list of things to read, to fairly near the top. And it will be a big factor when voting for mod-o-the-month.

[dcb]

Don't forget about the wiki option once a project starts to mature, it has a little learning curve to using it, but the indexing will happen automatically, and svoboy tied the forum login to the wiki login, so it is a mite easier to use.

Main Page - EcoModder

[TestDrive]

I've looked at the Wiki before, but it has me completely baffled. Can't figure out how you'd even start a new article. (Is article the right term?)

[dcb]

You search for something and if it doesn't exist it gives you a "create page" link, i.e. search for "Aerocivic" and you should see a link to create the page since it does not exist yet.